This invention relates generally to electronic gaming machines interconnected by a computer network and more particularly to a method and apparatus for implementing a bonus across a gaming machine network.
Casinos typically include electronic gaming machines (EGMs) such as slot machines and video poker machines. Slot machines, for example, usually include three reels that each have a plurality of symbols printed thereon. After the player applies a wager to the machine, he or she starts play by triggering a switch that starts the reels spinning. Each reel stops at a random position and thereby presents three symbols—one from each reel. Under a normal mode of operation, some combinations of symbols do not pay any jackpot. Others pay varying amounts according to predetermined combinations that appear in a pay table displayed on the machine and stored in the gaming machine's programmable read-on memory (PROM).
More recently, multiple gaming machines have been linked together into groups of machines that share the same gaming features and bonus pool. A simple example of such a system is progressive video poker in which players can win a collective pool of money from any one of a plurality of gaming machines grouped together on the casino floor. More complex examples for bonusing are implemented using bonus servers over a network, such us disclosed in co-owned U.S. Pat. No. 6,319,125 (the '125 patent), which is incorporated herein by reference for all purposes. Also incorporated herein by reference for all purposes is U.S. Pat. No. 5,655,961, assigned to the Assignee of the present application (the '961 patent), which also discloses bonuses that can be implemented by bonus servers over a network.
Gaming machine players often harbor a belief in streaks and tend to play only those games that they think are “hot” and ready to pay a big jackpot. This is even truer with linked machines. If a prospective player in a casino passes by a bank of gaming machines in which very little is happening, the player's impression might be that the machines in the bank are “cold” and the player will consequently refuse to stop and play them. If, however, the machines give the impression that they could win substantial bonus awards at any time, then the player would be more likely to sit and play.
Accordingly, in order to increase the excitement of playing gaming devices, it is desirable to provide a device in which a bonus event for a gaming machine or group of gaming machines is possible at any time.